Improvement in motive-power apparatus



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MFETFJIS, FHQTD-LITHDGRAFMEH, WASHINGTON. D C.

datiert tapes atent dltplire.

.JOHN T. GILBERT, OF ASBURY, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 113,417, dated-April 4, 187,1.

IMPROVEMENT IN M'OTlVE-POWER APPARATUS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

had to the annexed drawing making part of this`speci-` ication, in which- Figure l is aside elevation of one form of a machine for utilizing the force of explosive substances, in which'are shown springs made of wire, which serve to receive the forceconseqnent upon the explosion of the material and transfer' it to the moving parts of the machine. i

Figure 2 is a transverse'section online xx of fig. 1, showing a spring which receives the impact of the explosive snbstance, or of any substance which may be put in motion by the explosion of such substance, the pawls which communicate such motion to the machine, and the endless ratchet which passes around the driving-pulleys.- l v Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the device, showing in elevation one method of communicating` the force caused by the explosive 'materials to the springs, to be by them utilized in propelling machinery.

Corresponding letters refer to corresponding parts in the several gnres.

This invention' relates to a method of storing up and utilizing the force generated by the explosion of gunpowder, gun-cotton, nitro-glycerine, and other similar explosive substances, including the variousv kinds of detonating powders; and

It consists in causing the impact of such substances,

when exploded, to be received by or upon a spring or springs, or other elastic substance or substances, and there held in reserve for use in giving motion to any kind of machinery-that it may be desirable to move with it; or it may be immediately expended in propelling such machinery, as in the example shown in connection herewith.

I am aware that the impact-of explosive substances has heretofore been used in connection with unyielding but movable substances, as iny hammers and pile-drivers for raising the hammer or the weight which drives the pile; `but I am not aware that previous to the date of my invention such force has ever been utilized by being rst receivedby or upon springsor other elastic substances, and by them transmitted to the movin-g.. parts of machines as the motive force with which to propelisnch machines.

I do not therefore limit myself 4to the form of ma chine shown in the drawing which accompanies this specication, or to any other particular form of construction 5 b nt regard 1n y invention as consisting in the method ot' utilizing or applying the impact of the various vexplosive substances rather than in any particular forni of machine for effecting that purpose.

Regarding the view above expressed as the correct one, I have tiled the`drawing which accompanies this specification in compliance with the law requiring all applicants to show and describe the best means within their knowledge of putting. their `inventions into prac tice, and not as embodying myinvention; or, at least,

not as embodying all of such invention.

To enable those skilled inthe art to use my invention, I will describe one device for applying it.

rlhe machine shown herewith consists of a frame,

A, which should be 'of metal, and so constructed as to furnish bearings for the shafts A2 Awhich pass through it near its ends, as shown in figs. 1 and 2.

The length of this `framel may be varied to suit the dilferent kinds of substances' used to receive the -impact of the explosive substances.

Upon the top and bottom of this frame when it is placed horizontally, or upon its edges when itis placed vertically, tubes or boxes A1 A1 are placed, into which a spiral spring, B, or some other elastic substance is placed, for the purpose of receiving the impact of the explosive substancesand transmitting it to the-mov'- ing parts ofthe machine. p

These tubes or boxes are constructed with vone open and one closed end, the open end being for the purpose of permitting the plunger F, which acts upon the spring, to enter, and the closed end being for the purpose of forming an abutment for the end of --the spring which remains stationary to rest against.

That portion of the spring which is capable of moving within the tube or box has attached to it acrosshead, C, the central portion of which serves as a piston to receive the end of the spring and guide it through the tube or box.

To the outer ends of the cross-head pawls C' C' are attached, in such a manner that, las an explosion takes place and the crosshead'is carriedjnto the tube, they will be raised up and' caused` to pass over the projec tions upon the endless ratchet uutilthe force of thel explosion has been expended in compressing ther vspring or in compressing other elastic substances, when said pawls will drop into the. notches upon the their peripheries being so formed as to pass into the spaces between the joints in the endless ratchet or belt D, and thus the rota-tionof the wheels is secured, and the possibility of the slipping of the belt is prevented.

It will be observed that there are two springs and two cross-heads and pawls for connecting them to then belts D, one above and one below the center or" the sprocket-wheels, the lower pawls being held in contact with the ratchet or belt by means oi' springs.

plosion of powder, it consisting of a small cannon, E,

having a swinging breech-piece so arranged Vthat it .may be moved* to one side and thus allow the explosive material to be inserted at'the rear end ot the gun, when ,'by .returning the breech-piece to the position shown in the drawing, and causing the explosionof the material within the gun by any of the known means, tb'e plunger F will be shot-ont of such gun and into the tub'e or box which contains the spring, thns'eontracting'the spring, as shown.

When the force of the exploded material has been communicated to the spring it may be at once ntily ized in propelling the' machinery, or it may beretained in the spi-mg for future use by the addition of any suitable device for vthat purpose, such as a pawl working upon a ratchet-wheel secured to one of the Vshafts A2, so arranged as to hold the wheels from turning when 'in gear.

- 1. The method herein Owing to the fact that lthere are two of these springs, one above and one below, upon opposite sides of the belt or endless ratchet, a continuous rotary motion may be maintained by lallowing one of the springs or elastic substances to expand while the other. is being contracted.

The device here shown is to any kind of machinery where continuous rotary motion may be required, and also to suoli devices as require only a-reciprocating motion, and it is regarded as particularly applicable to street cars to assist in starting them when in a state of rest.V Y Y lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

described of utilizing the force resulting from the explosion of substances by means or any equivalents thereof substantially 'such as herein described.

2. The combination of the endless belt or ratchet, having upon its outer surface serrations for the pawls to fall into, and the sprocket-wheels around which it passes. Y

3. rlhecombination and arrangement of the spring or springs B, the cross-head C, belt or ratchet D, and the sprocket-wheels D', their arrangement with reference to each other being such as to canse the expan-l sion of the springs to give a rotary` motion to the sprocketwheels4 substantially as andfor the purpose set forth,

- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speeication in the presence of two subscribing,r wit- Wnsrnn W; Sanewlck, WILLIAM Bnomn.

-nesses.

capable of being applied 

